My thoughts on the Phillies season.

The Phils scored early and often as they defeated the Astros, 12-6.

Cole Hamels gain his 15th win of the year as the Phils’ offense scored early and often to defeat the Astros, 12-6.

The Phils took the lead in the first as Jimmy Rollins hits a lead-off home run, his twentieth home run of the season, giving the Phils a 1-0 lead. Two batters later, the Phils took a 2-0 lead as Chase Utley hits an RBI single, knocking in Juan Pierre, who had earlier walked, then stole second base. The Phils then took a 3-0 lead as, after Utley had stolen second base, Ryan Howard hits an RBI ground-rule double, scoring Utley. The Phils then made it a 4-0 lead four batters later as, with Howard now on third, after moving up on Dom Brown’s ground out, 4-3, John Mayberry, Jr. hits an RBI single, scoring Howard. The Astros got a run back in their half of the first as, with two men on, and with one man out, Jose Altuve, who had started the inning off with a single, then moved up to second base on Brandon Barnes’ single, would score as Justin Maxwell hits into a force out, 1-6, wiping out Barnes at second base for the inning’s second out, sending Altuve to third, before he would score on Jimmy Rollins’ throwing error, making it a 4-1 Phils’ lead, while Maxwell, who was safe on the error, would move up to second base. The Phils added to their lead in the fourth as, with a runner on second, and with one man out, Kevin Frandsen hits an RBI single, knocking in Mayberry, who had just doubled, giving the Phils a 5-1 lead. The Astros cut down the Phils’ lead in their half of the fourth as, with one man on, and with nobody out, Matt Downs hits a two-run home run, his eighth home run of the year, knocking in Matt Dominguez, who had started the inning off with a single, making it a 5-3 Phils’ lead. The Phils increased their lead in the fifth as, with the bases loaded, via walks to Utley and Howard, a force out by Carlos Ruiz, 5-4, wiping out Howard at second base for the inning’s second out, as Utley moved up to third, while Ruiz beat out the throw to first base, a stolen base by Ruiz, and then an intentional walk to Brown, and with two men out, Mayberry hits a two-run single, knocking in both Utley and Ruiz, giving the Phils a 7-3 lead, while sending Brown up to second base. The Astros got a run back in their half of the fifth as two men out, Maxwell hits a solo home run, his fifteenth home run of the season, making it a 7-4 Phils’ lead. The Phils once again increased their lead in the seventh as, with one man on, and with one man out, Brown hit a two-run bomb into the right field seats, his third home run of the season, knocking in Ruiz, who had just walked, giving the Phils a 9-4 lead. The Phils then added to their lead in the eighth as, with two men on, and with nobody out, Utley hits an RBI double, scoring Rollins, who had started the inning off with a single, then stopped at second base on Pierre’s single, giving the Phils a 10-4 lead, while sending Pierre, who had just singled, on to third base. The Phils then made it a 12-4 lead as Howard followed with an RBI single, knocking in both Pierre and Utley. The Astros got a run back in their half of the eighth as, with runners on the corners, and with one man out, Dominguez, who had earlier reached first base on pitcher Justin De Fratus’ throwing error, then stopped at third base on Jed Lowrie’s single, scored on a wild pitch by De Fratus, making it a 12-5 Phils’ lead, while sending Lowrie up to second base. The Astros then made it a 12-6 Phils’ lead in the ninth as, with a man on second base, and with two men out, Barnes reached first base on Frandsen’s throwing error, which allowed Altuve, who had earlier hit a ground-rule double, to score, while Barnes would go on to second base. But that would be the final score as Jeremy Horst finally ended the game by striking out Brett Wallace, swinging, for the game’s final out

Cole Hamels (15-6, 3.06) got the win as he went seven innings, giving up four runs on seven hits and a walk, while striking out eight. Justin De Fratus pitched an inning, giving up an unearned run on a hit, while striking out a batter. Jeremy Horst also pitched an inning, giving up an unearned run on a hit, while also striking out the side. Edgar Gonzalez (2-1, 4.40) took the lost as he lasted only four innings, giving up five runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out two. Chuckie Fick pitched a third of an inning, giving up two runs on a hit and two walks. Fernando Rodriguez pitched two-thirds of an inning, giving up a hit and a walk, while striking out a batter. Jose Valdez pitched one and two-thirds innings, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk, striking out two. Enerio Del Rosario pitched a third of an inning, plus four batters, giving up three runs on four hits. Rhiner Cruz pitched two innings, giving up a hit, while striking out three.

The Phils had sixteen hits, with John Mayberry, Jr. leading the ballclub with three hits, two singles and a double, knocking in three runs, followed by Jimmy Rollins (Single, Home Run, RBI), Juan Pierre (Singles), Chase Utley (Single, Double, 2 RBIs), Ryan Howard (Single, Double, 3 RBIs) and Kevin Frandsen (Singles, RBI) with two hits each. Dom Brown (Home Run, 2 RBIs), Cole Hamels (Single) and Nate Schierholtz (Double) had the other three Phils’ hit. The Phils also had five walks and three stolen bases (Pierre (35), Utley (7), Carlos Ruiz (4)) in the game.

The Phils (73-72, 3rd East) will continue their series with the Astros (46-99, 6th Central) with a night game tonight. The game will be played at Minute Maid Park, and will start at 7:05 pm EDT (6:05 pm CDT). The Phils will send to the mound Kyle Kendrick (9-10, 3.83), who is coming off a win against the Marlins on September 10, as he went seven innings, giving up a run on two hits and three walks, striking out a career high eight batters, in the Phils’ 3-1 win. He will be trying to even his record. The Astros will counter with Dallas Keuchel (1-7, 5.35) with a no-decision against the Cubs on September 10, as he went only four innings, giving up a run on six hits and two walks, striking out a batter, in the Astros’ 4-1 lost. He will be trying to give the Astros the series lead. The Phils will be trying to take the series lead.

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